Lincolnton man charged in Cherryville break-in, attempted rape

Lincolnton police assisted Cherryville officers over the weekend in apprehending a Lincolnton man accused of breaking into a Cherryville home and trying to force a teen girl to have sex with him.

Juan Felix Villalobos, 53, of 2847 Highland Drive, remains behind Gaston County bars under a $100,500 bond, according to the jail website.

He faces one count each of attempted second-degree forcible rape, sexual battery and first-degree burglary along with misdemeanor larceny and worthless check, according to Cherryville Police Captain Mike Allred Sr.

The suspect broke into a home on S. Jacob Street around 8 p.m. Saturday and “demanded sex” from one of the two women who were inside the home, police said.

He fled the property once the second woman grabbed a kitchen knife.

After the women gave police the man’s license plate number, officers sent out a “be on the lookout” (BOLO) alert to the community. Lincolnton police located Villalobos at his city residence on Sunday.

Evidence at the suspect’s home revealed he and one of the women knew each other, although the exact relationship they shared is unknown, police said.